Aircraft & Propulsion

Israel’s Defense Ministry says it signed $6.91 billion in orders for U.S. equipment in 2025.

Airbus has named Matthieu Louvot to be the new CEO of its helicopter division, replacing Bruno Even, who is stepping down after eight years at the helm.

South Korea’s Finance Ministry instructed DAPA to revise the mass-production schedule and budget allocation for the KF-21.

Lockheed Martin is developing two concepts for greatly extending the range of the Sikorsky MH-60R/S Seahawk to offer to the U.S. Navy.

Germany has ordered eight General Atomics MQ-9B SkyGuardian uncrewed aircraft systems to perform maritime patrol.

UK defense ministers will not say when a decision might be made on whether to contract for a £1 billion new fleet of medium helicopters.

A series of recent demonstrations have familiarized Boeing F/A-18E/F and Lockheed Martin F-35C pilots with Collaborative Combat Aircraft.

Israel has rarely shied away from defense industrial challenges, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s pledge to wean the country off U.S. military financing support sets the bar at a new level.

China conducted the first flight of a domestically developed 3D-printed turbojet engine in November 2025.

Dassault Aviation says it has invested $200 million in the Series B funding round of French artificial intelligence startup Harmattan AI.

Europe should establish a European Security Council to bolster its defense posture, Defense and Space Commissioner Andrius Kubilius argues.

For more information about Aviation Week Intelligence Network’s (AWIN) 2025 Military Fleet & MRO Forecast and other Aviation Week data products, please see: https://pgs.aviationweek.com/forecast

Starfighters Space, an aerospace company with a unique fleet of Mach 2-capable Lockheed F-104s, is in expansive mood.

The U.S. Army is narrowing the field as it seeks a replacement for the Airbus UH-72 Lakota helicopters currently used for rotary-wing training at Fort Rucker, Alabama.

Airbus Helicopters is calling on operators of its H160 rotorcraft to replace main rotor system pitch rods after a ditching incident in the ocean near Brazil.

Richard Aboulafia joins Check 6 to discuss how 2026 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for two next-generation fighter programs conceived in Europe: FCAS and GCAP.

Our roundup of the main aerospace and defense stories making the news this week.

Aisheng Technology Group, a subsidiary of China’s state-owned arms producer Norinco, has conducted the first flight of the Lingque “Magpie” LQ-150 VTOL UAS.

A look at why Operation Absolute Resolve has implications far beyond Venezuela.

Northrop Grumman will provide the autonomy software for the U.S. Marine Corps first loyal wingman uncrewed system.

Taiwan has grounded its fleet of F-16 fighter jets following a Jan. 6 training accident that authorities say may be related to a “mission computer malfunction.”

In a banner year for defense technology venture funding, C-UAS came into its own, growing faster in 2025 than any other major industry segment.

Lockheed Martin delivered 191 F-35s in 2025, setting an annual delivery record for the international stealth fighter, the company announced on Jan. 7.

The U.S. subsidiary of Spain’s Indra Group announced a $342 million contract under the FAA’s Radar System Replacement program.

Bangladesh could acquire JF-17 Thunder combat aircraft from Pakistan as part of a growing cooperation pact between the air arms of the two countries.